Left Behind
by Loopstagirl
Summary: When distracted at a rescue, Virgil heads home a little too quickly. But when things take a turn for the worst, can he rectify his mistake?


"Surfacing now, Virg," Reaching out a gloved hand, Gordon casually flicked a couple of buttons as he broke the surface, blinking slightly in the sun playing across the ocean. Glancing behind him, the red headed member of International Rescue couldn't help but smiling in satisfaction as the stranded sub bobbed to the surface behind him. Detaching the cables with another flick of his wrist, Gordon sat back in his command chair and sighed deeply. Another successful rescue. Hearing the roar of Thunderbird Two overhead, he didn't move from his comfortable position as he watched Virgil extend the grabs and take hold of the sub, already beginning to tow it towards land almost before the grabs had been properly attached. He was obviously still in a hurry.

Gordon couldn't blame him though. It had been hard enough to get Scott and Virgil to even come on this rescue, their father had even resorted to threatening them if they didn't get a move on and get their butts into their 'birds, although in slightly different words. Gordon was not surprised. With Alan having managed to knock himself out by falling down the stairs, it was going to take a lot more than Brains' reassurances that everything was going to be under control whilst they were gone to get the two most over protective brothers off the island. Gordon himself had only been willing to leave his little brother because he knew that he was in capable hands and that there was nothing any of them could do until he woke up anyway. At least the rescue would divert his attention, and as his own 'bird had been needed, there really had been little choice but for the three earth bound brothers to go flying to the rescue once again.

Thankfully, it had been a smooth rescue, and judging by the streak on the horizon, Scott had shot off for home the second he had seen Thunderbird Four break the surface with the sub safe and sound once again.

"Meet you at the pod, Virg?" His thumb resting on the button that kept the communications open, Gordon frowned when he didn't receive a response. There was no way Virgil could have already towed the sub all the way back to the land, was there?

"Virgil? Viiirgil?" Gordon sang out, unable to stop his fingers from drumming against his thigh as he waited for his brother to respond. He may have not put up as much as a fight with the older two about going, but that didn't mean he was any less anxious to get back to the kid and make sure the clumsy Tracy was going to be alright. Who on earth could knock themselves out by falling down the stairs at 6 in the morning, apart from Alan? Something his brothers' had always claimed was that the youngest Tracy was a magnet for trouble – if there was none about, he would create his own. Although Gordon couldn't help but feel that the worst was yet to come, especially if Scott's reaction in being told that he had to go on a rescue and leave his youngest brother unconscious in the infirmary was anything to go by.

"Oi! Virgil, are you receiving me or not?"

"What, Gordon?" _Finally_, Gordon couldn't help but think bitterly, slightly annoyed at the irritation in Virgil's voice. It wasn't as if he had been asking for anything outrageous, but his charming big brother seemed to have forgotten that unlike the other two, Gordon couldn't simply fly himself home.

"Meet you at the pod?"

"Mmm hmm." Frowning at the controls in front of him as if that would somehow portray his irritation over the Thunderbird Two for him, Gordon sighed. Why did he get the feeling that Virgil had not listened to a word he had just said? The informality of the response from Thunderbird Two's pilot gave Gordon slight cause for concern. He knew that Virgil was worried about Alan, hell, they all were, but it was unlike him to slip into something so informal. Gordon could only hope that his mind was still on the job.

"Come on then, baby, let's beat him back." Muttering lovingly to his 'bird, Gordon pulled himself into a more upright position, activating the device he would be lost without. Brains called it some fancy, scientific name that the aquanaut never had really been able to say, but Gordon just referred to it as his own little GPS, telling him in which direction the pod was. With it being simply dropped into the ocean, and then Thunderbird Four diving into the depths, Gordon often was not sure in which direction the pod was when he resurfaced, especially if there was a strong tide carrying it away from him. After the first time of spending ages trying to find it again, Brains had decided something was needed to make it far easier, especially if he needed to get out of the water quickly.

Following his flashing lights, Gordon couldn't help but grin as he eased the throttle back, coaxing more and more speed out of his 'bird as she glided gracefully across the ocean. Within a matter of moments, the imposing bulk of the green pod came into his view, floating harmlessly on the surface of the ocean. At least it was still there, having heard how distracted Virgil had sounded over the coms, it wouldn't have surprised the second youngest brother if he had just picked up the empty pod and flown home without Gordon. Laughing out loud at how stupid his own ideas were now becoming, Gordon spun his sub around, lining her up to be drawn back into the protection of the pod. Just before he activated the controls, the red head paused, his eyes on the sky. Virgil should be back by now, or at least, visible. Frowning, Gordon spun his yellow lady around slowly, allowing her handler to sweep his eyes over the horizon in all directions. There was no sign of Virgil, nor the welcoming sight of his 'bird. Wondering what on earth could have delayed his brother, Gordon leant forward and once more flicked open the communications.

"Thunderbird Four to Thunderbird Two." Deciding that if his brother was going to be tetchy, the best approach was probably a formal one, Gordon hummed impatiently waiting for Virgil to answer. When he did, however, it was not the response the aquanaut was either hoping to hear, or prepared for.

"If you can't be bothered to come up here, then I have nothing more to say to you, Gordon."

"Virg?" Silence, however, was what met Gordon's enquiry, leaving him feeling a little anxious. If by "come up here" Virgil meant the flight deck of Thunderbird Two, Gordon's original ludicrous idea seemed as if it was perhaps more slightly true than he was completely happy with. Virgil surely wasn't _that _worried about Alan that he was already heading for home, leaving Gordon stranded in the middle of an ocean? Was he? Shaking his head, Gordon rolled his eyes. Of course Virgil was that worried, that was why he had spent the entire rescue on edge, pushing Gordon to faster speeds than Four was physically capable of, despite the fact that, for once, the brothers had a nice time frame to work a relatively straight forward rescue in. Hoping that Virgil was just ignoring him, Gordon once more stretched out his hand, but this time patched himself through to a different Thunderbird.

"Thunderbird Four calling Thunderbird One. Do you read me, Scott?" Silence met his questions once more, not even a static indicating anything was functioning on Thunderbird One. Beginning to get really annoyed, Gordon sighed, wondering what was going on. No doubt One had already reached base and Scott had hurtled up through the silos and through to the infirmary before their father had even time to acknowledge his son's arrival. If Gordon had thought Virgil had been bad, he wasn't a patch on the oldest brother.

"For God's sake. Virg, are you there? Answer me, damnit. Thunderbird Five, do you copy?"

"Loud and clear, Gords. What's up?"

"John!" Gordon all but yelled, thankful to finally get an answer from someone who didn't sound like who was about to bite his head off. Knowing John, he was just as worried about the Sprout as the rest of them, but being stuck in space, John had learnt how to hide his concern, meaning he didn't simply snap, unlike some brothers Gordon could mention.

"John, I need you to do me a favour. Can you give me the location of Thunderbird Two?"

"F.A.B. You ok, Gordon?"

"I'll let you know." Gordon responded shortly, glaring at the pod in front of him. If Virgil had done what Gordon believed his brother had done, he was going to be pranked until next year. Until he knew for sure, though, Gordon was left with glaring at the green pod in front of him, a clear reminder of why he was still sitting in the middle of the ocean.

"Gords? You there, bro?" Laughing humourlessly, Gordon stretched his legs out in front of him, anxious to try and stop them from cramping up in the confined space of Four. On a rescue, he was always fine, but knowing that he could potentially be sitting here for a lot longer than normal with nothing to do was beginning to get to him.

"That's the issue, John. I am _here_. What d'ya get for me?"

"Gordon, what is going on? Virgil is back at base." Swearing under his breath, Gordon banged his head on the controls, accidentally almost sending Four plummeting back to the ocean floor if he hadn't sat back up and hit the offending switch quickly.

"John, do you think you can get through to that blockhead of a brother and ask him if he has forgotten something?"

"Gordon?"

"Just ask him, Johnny, please."

"Alright, I'll get back to you in a sec."

"F.A.B."

Miles above the earth, John sat back in his own command chair, frowning in confusion at how stressed Gordon sounded. He knew what was going on with Alan, he had stayed almost constantly in touch with the island since finding out about the kid's accident, and knew that there had been trouble getting Scott and Virgil to go on the mission. But it was unlike Gordon to voice his stresses; he normally vented it out through actions. Contemplating both his brother's words and actions, John paused halfway of patching himself through to Virgil and flicked another switch. Frowning at the pulsing light signalling Thunderbird Four's position, John double checked his readings, before sitting back in his seat, completely bemused. No wonder Gordon sounded annoyed, Virgil had left him sitting in the middle of the ocean, with no way to either get home or find out how Alan was. Trying to hide his smirk, John opened up communications between himself and his immediate younger brother.

"What's up, John?" From what John could see of the ceiling from Virgil's watch, the blond knew without doubt that he was sitting in the infirmary, probably practically on top of Alan's bed rather than next to it. And judging by the part of a hand John could see hanging by Virgil's side, Scott was there as well. Rolling his eyes, John tried to hide the purpose for his call, he wanted to know whether Virgil had realised he was missing a brother.

"Virg, I was trying to get through to Gordon, but I can't reach him. Know where he is?"

"Sulking in the pod. He refused to come up onto the flight deck the whole way home."

"I see. And where is the pod?"

"Gees, John, where do you think?" Slightly stunned at Virgil's abrupt dismissal, John sat back and ran a hand distractedly through his hair. He had spoken to his father when the boys had been on the rescue, and knew that Alan was going to be alright, it was just going to be a whopper of a headache he woke up with. Unfortunately, not having been present in that conversation, the two most protective brothers had not been prepared to accept Brains' opinion, instead being determined that things would only be alright if they were right there, beside Alan.

Deciding to break the news to Gordon, John couldn't help but laugh softly to himself. Of all the things that could happen to the Thunderbirds, he would have never imagined Thunderbird Four being left behind by Virgil. Suddenly, John sat up a bit straighter, thinking hard. His previous train of thought had made him consider all the things that could happen to the Thunderbirds, and right now, Gordon was a sitting duck. Yeah, all the machines were armed, and he had the ability to dive, but the weapons of a sub were nothing compared to anything in the air, he may not even see it coming.

"Gordon, you still there, man?"

"Where am I supposed to go, John?" the grumbled reply sounded, a clear indication that Gordon had just been sitting there waiting for John to get back to him. "I'm guessing you've figured out where I am in comparison to the rest of the guys?"

"Yeah, sorry. Virg really thinks that you are in the pod, back at the base. How he can't have noticed, I don't know, surely Two would have been rather lighter than normal? Anyway, Gordon, I want you to dive."

"What?"

"Dude, you're a sitting duck out there, almost literally. Get below the surface and at least you aren't as visible. I'm going to get onto Dad and get him to launch Two back out to get you, but until my signal, stay low."

"Why can't I just take Four back to the island from here, should be able to make it in a couple of hours." Rolling his eyes, John sighed.

"And what are you going to do about the pod? You know what Dad thinks about security, and if you just pull it behind you, you'll be showing a clear path back to base. You can't leave it and you can't take it. Sorry, Gords, but you're going to have to wait this one out, bro."

"F.A.B. John. But can you tell Dad not to kill Virg until I get back, I want to either join in or witness it at least. Diving now."

"F.A.B, Gords. Hold tight, man, I'm patching through to Dad now."

"John?"

"Yeah?"

"Keep me up-to-date on Al?"

"Gotcha." John responded, flicking his wrist and deactivating the line with his brother, he wanted Gordon to have all of his concentration on the dive. Whilst he knew that Gordon could carry out something like that in his sleep, he wanted his brother to be fully concentrating on his surroundings, just in case of hostiles. Shaking his head, John wondered quite when he had gotten so paranoid. Probably after both Scott and Virgil had been shot down, it tended to age a guy to hear your brothers' in distress when they were supposed to be out helping people. He could understand how Gordon felt on this one, being stuck out of the picture himself, he knew full well quite how much it would mean to Gordon if someone could keep him updated about their kid brother's condition.

"Go ahead, John." Blinking slightly, John was pulled out of his musings by his father's voice. He had barely noticed he had linked himself through to the island; it was something he did so often it was like a second nature to the astronaut.

"Erm…Dad? You missing anyone?" Sighing, Jeff ran his hand through his hair distractedly, his eyes flickering in the direction of the infirmary.

"Virgil told you then? Apparently Gordon is sulking in the pod. I knew he was worried about Alan, but it is unlike Gordon to shut himself off. I was just about to go down."

"Dad, Gordon's not in the pod…" Before John could go any further, however, his father practically exploded.

"Then why hasn't he come up? He knows how important de-briefing is! Ok, I know things are a little awkward today, what with Alan's accident and all that, but why is he neglecting his duties?"

"He's not the one neglecting his duty, Dad!" John almost yelled. It took a lot to get him worked up, but he would not hear Gordon blamed for this, not when he was helpless, almost out of range of contact and stuck, not to mention in potential danger. For once, the red head was the victim, not the perpetrator. Catching onto John's tone, Jeff frowned at what he could see of his older blond. He knew that John was worried about Alan, but it was unlike him to get so worked up.

"Then where, precisely, is your brother, John?" Jeff asked quietly, concern radiating out of him. What on earth was going on with his boys today?

"He is still at the accident zone. At this precise moment, probably sitting on the bottom of the ocean, wondering if Four's range will reach the island, his watch is out."

"He's at the accident zone?" Jeff repeated slowly, his brain trying to process what John was telling him. "What is he still doing there?"

"Virg was so worked up about Allie and having to leave him, he didn't go back for the pod after the rescue but flew straight home, thinking he had Gordon with him. That's why Gordon was contacting him from Four rather than going up to the flight deck, he wasn't on board."

"Oh." Jeff stated, somewhat stupidly. He didn't quite know what to make of the situation. He had thought that Virgil had returned pretty quick, but then again, he had already had words with Scott about leaving the danger zone before the rescue was officially over, he just assumed that Virgil had done the same thing and something had upset Gordon. What made it ten times worse was that he had been prepared to blame Gordon for this, knowing worry tended to make his red head sarcastic, at the very least, and there were often clashes between him and Virgil when they were stressed. He had believed Virgil's statement of Gordon sulking almost without question, something he now felt incredibly guilty about.

"Base to Thunderbird Four." Leaning back in his seat, John smiled as he watched his father patch himself through to Gordon. No doubt the aquanaut had been so annoyed with his brother he hadn't wanted to contact base himself in case of coming face to face with Virgil, hence why he had relied on John to pass on the messages.

"Thunderbird Four receiving. Hey, Dad, sorry I haven't made it back yet."

"Are you alright, son?"

"Apart from getting stiff. Dad, how's Al?" Smiling fondly at Gordon's reaction, Jeff leant back in his chair, regarding Gordon carefully. His face was clearly saying what his words were not, he was not alright. He was worried, and for good reason. An injured brother back on the island, no way to get there and potentially being open to anything hostile. Not to mention there was only so long he could hide at the bottom of the ocean, plus the problem of being rather tall and stuck in a sub. No, Gordon was not alright, but he was coping as best as he could, meaning Jeff could ask for no more.

"He's going to be ok, squirt," Jeff softly reassured, slipping back into nicknames he hadn't used for a long time. "He still hasn't decided to grace us with his presence, but Brains has done all the scans and tests and whatever else it was he was doing, and there is no damage, he just has given himself a nasty concussion. Of course, any implications of that still remain to be seen, but Brains is confident that he is going to be just fine."

So saying, Jeff couldn't help but feel relieved as Gordon visibly relaxed, rotating his shoulders stiffly. This was not a good situation to be stuck in at the best of times, but given the circumstances back at the island they had left when being sent, no, ordered, onto this mission, it certainly didn't help.

"Gordon, hang on son, I'm going to get Virgil up here now and send him out for you."

"Don't see the point, Dad, he is adamant that I'm back at base."

"We'll just see about that. Stand by, son."

"F.A.B." Flicking a switch, Jeff deactivated himself from Thunderbird Four, not wanting to leave Gordon on his own, but he couldn't help but feel this was more likely to turn into an argument if the red head was present in this conversation as well. And that was not going to speed up his return to base. Taking a deep breath, Jeff went back to the old fashioned way of being a father. There was no need for his watch to do this, his voice would be enough.

"VIRGIL GRISSOM TRACY!" For a moment, there was silence, but then Scott's voice came floating back through.

"Dad! I think Alan's waking up!" And for a brief moment, thoughts of Gordon were driven from Jeff's mind as he sprinted to the infirmary, throwing himself into the chair he had only recently vacated at Alan's bedside. Needless to say, Scott was right, Alan was indeed beginning to stir under the covers, his eyes scrunched up in pain as he let out a low moan. Within seconds, both Jeff and Scott bent over him, Scott cupping his cheek gently and running his thumb over Alan's cheekbone.

"Allie? Sprout? Open those eyes for me." Glancing up, Jeff caught his middle son's eye over the monitors he was checking, and knew by the expression on Virgil's face he had heard his father's yell. Raising his eyebrows meaningfully, Jeff clearly sent the message that he still needed a word.

"Scott?" Alan groaned, opening his eyes for long enough for them to adjust to the light before scrunching them back shut again, the light being too painful. As Scott continued to soothe both himself and Alan with the constant movement of his thumb, Brains came bustling back in and immediately took over checking Alan over. Knowing once Virgil was involved in the medical side of things there would be no getting him away, Jeff dropped a light kiss on Alan's untidy mop and promised to be back in a moment, before standing up, ignoring Scott's questioning look. Crossing the infirmary, he gently took Virgil by the arm, and much to the young man's protests, navigated him out of the infirmary and through to the lounge. Virgil frowned when he caught sight of the lounge still being in its control mode, but sensing his father's mood, didn't say anything.

"Where is Gordon, Virgil?" Jeff asked quietly, seriousness present in his tone, causing Virgil to frown at him. Jeff wasn't surprised, he couldn't actually remember the last time he had been angry at his middle son. Gordon and Alan, plenty of times when they were in their Terrible Two mood, Scott for being so damn stubborn, especially when it came to rescues and thinking he knew best (which admittedly was often the case, but that was beside the point), he had even been known to raise his voice at John for the blond was known to not necessarily be the calmest of people when the others were out on a rescue. But Virgil?

"Down in the pod, Dad, I've told you," Virgil sighed, exasperated. First John and now his father? Why did everyone seem to take on an accusatory tone when talking to him about his missing brother? It wasn't his fault the red head had decided to sulk.

"And where is the pod?"

"Dad, what is this? An interrogation?"

"Answer the question, Virgil."

"Ok, ok, the pod is in Thunderbird Two's silo."

"No it isn't."

"Come again?" Pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, Jeff sighed. The look on Virgil's face was evidence enough that his middle son truly thought he had picked the pod up. And if that was the case, and this was just a genuine mistake, then Jeff couldn't remain angry, Virgil clearly hadn't meant to leave Gordon.

"Virgil, the pod, along with Thunderbird Four and your brother, are still at the danger zone. You dropped the sub off at the mainland and came straight home, son." For a moment, Virgil frowned in confusion, before a look of horror crossed his features and he swore violently, causing another rebuke from his father. Before Jeff could open his mouth, Virgil shot across the lounge to the hidden entrance of his 'bird, almost crashing into the sofa in his hurry to get out and bring his brother home.

"One moment, Virgil." Jeff butted in quickly, but his son paid no attention to him, instead sending himself flying towards Thunderbird Two, cursing the slide for not going any quicker. Guilt didn't even begin to cover what the artist was feeling. Not only had he left Gordon behind, he had then snapped at him when his brother tried to get in touch and cut off anyone who tried to question the red head's whereabouts. This was his fault in more ways than one, he only hoped he could make it up to Gordon. With a slight wince, Virgil was fully aware that he was most likely to be the victim of pranks for a _very _long time, Gordon certainly wasn't going to let him live this one down.

Watching his son disappear, Jeff sighed. Lifting his watch, he quickly patched himself through to Scott, not wanting to leave the control centre in case either Gordon, John or Virgil tried to contact him. He also had a feeling that Scott wouldn't leave the infirmary, not now Alan was awake. If he was truthful, Jeff was glad, it would mean that his baby was not on his own. Rubbing his hand over his eyes, Jeff couldn't help but wish he could split himself in two.

"What's up, Dad? Where's Virg got too?"

"Scott, your brother is heading back out to the danger zone."

"What? Why? Is the situation not as under control as we thought? I thought Gords had lifted the sub clear? I knew I shouldn't have left the site before those two had given the all clear…" Cutting Scott off midstream, Jeff smiled at the way Scott thought everything was his fault, never willing to blame his younger brothers' unless it was obvious.

"Yes and no. The rescue is indeed over, only Virgil forgot something."

"Virgil forgot something?" Scott repeated, sounding incredulous. Jeff wasn't surprised though, out of all of them, Virgil, with the exception of Scott himself, was one of the most methodical men Jeff knew, especially when it came to routine on rescues.

"Your brother."

"Dad, what- oh! Virgil forgot Thunderbird Four?" For a moment, there was silence, but then a small peal of laughter could be heard through the watch, a clear indication that Alan was still awake and finding the whole thing rather humorous. Gordon was just going to love that. Scott, however, was silent, a clear indication his over protective mind was racing through all the different things that could potentially happen to his younger brother whilst he was stranded in the middle of the ocean.

"I'm going out there." Scott declared suddenly, and by the sounds of movements Jeff could make out, he had got as far as standing, possibly even making it to the infirmary doors.

"No Scott, I need you to stay with Alan. Virgil is going out now and I believe that John has kept in contact with Gordon, anything happens and we will know. I'm going to put a call through to Gordon in just a moment, so I need you to stay there, Thunderbird One won't be able to do anything apart from draw more attention to the area and to your brother."

"F.A.B," Scott responded tonelessly, a clear indication he didn't like being told to wait behind. With a rueful smile, Jeff couldn't stop a small smirk spreading over his face. Just a matter of hours ago, he had been forcing Scott to leave; now it was forcing him to stay.

"Thunderbird Two requesting permission for launch."

"You're clear, Virgil. Go as fast as you can, Gordon will be getting stiff." Trying to keep his voice light so as not to make Virgil careless through anxiety, Jeff watched the giant green machine take off with worried eyes. It wasn't Gordon so much he was worried about, it was what else was around the area. The sub they had already been forced to rescue was a military one, damaged after an unsuspected attack. Whatever caused the attack seemed to have been long gone, but the Tracy patriarch knew that there was no way of telling for sure. He only hoped it hadn't sighted the small yellow Thunderbird and decided to come back for round two. The worry beginning to build to an even greater level within him as Jeff couldn't help but think of the potential danger one of his sons could be in, the father hastily switched another switch and patched himself through to Thunderbird Four, wanting to reassure himself if nothing else that Gordon was alright.

"Base to Thunderbird Four."

"Still here, Dad. Virg noticed I'm not at base yet?"

"Hold on, Gordon, Virgil is flying out there now. And son, don't be too hard on your brother, it was a genuine mistake."

"He was worried about Al, I know. But Dad, he left me _behind._"

"I know, kiddo. He's coming now." Sitting back in his chair, Jeff sighed deeply. Gordon wasn't going to let this go for a while. Why did the father get the feeling the villa was about to turn into a war zone? Virgil would take so much as punishment, then Gordon would go too far, Scott and Alan would get involved and John would no doubt be playing a double agent and aiding both sides. The same as it had been for years. It didn't seem to matter whether they were children or members of International Rescue, the rules of payback were never going to change.

"Dad?"

"Gordon?"

"Did the sub report seeing a great black hull appear out of nowhere before they were rammed?"

Feeling his heart sink, Jeff quickly scanned his eyes over the report Scott had gabbled out when he had first arrived home. Whilst it was by no means the clearest of debriefs, it gave him enough information to answer his son's inquiry.

"Yes, Gordon. Why?" Not really sure if he wanted Gordon to answer that question, Jeff held his breath, heart pounding hard.

"Don't want to worry you, Dad," Gordon commented lightly, his tone, whilst being even, was clearly trying to hide an underlying worry that only those close to him were able to detect. That was one of the things that made him so valuable on a rescue, the tension could only be heard in his voice by those who knew him, aka his family. It meant his brothers' knew he was taking the rescue seriously, but those they were trying to rescue were being kept calm.

"It's back."

"Virgil, report, where are you?" Quickly activating the portrait, Jeff found himself face to face with an anxious looking Virgil. One look at his middle son's face meant that Jeff knew his son had kept the channels open and had heard the interaction between his father and brother.

"E.T.A 3.2 minutes, Dad. I'm pushing her as fast as she can go."

"Go faster." Jeff responded shortly, trying not to take his concern out on Virgil, it had been an accident, after all, and he knew that the artist was feeling bad enough about leaving Gordon, Jeff's own concerns weren't going to make much of a difference.

"I'm trying to find the frequency they are on and jam it, Dad." John suddenly reported, making Jeff jump. Virgil obviously hadn't been the only one keeping an ear on their conversation.

"Anyone else want to join in?" Gordon asked with a laugh, his hands dancing furiously around the control panel as he activated the defence mechanisms on Four. What he was more worried about, however, was the ramming. Four had the capability of dodging missiles, deactivating lasers, all sorts that would protect the aquanaut against any weapons. What she couldn't do, however, was become invincible.

"Gordon, can you dive any lower?"

"No use, Dad, it's under me. I'm going to try and get back to the pod, it offers a lot more stability than Four."

"F.A.B. Virgil, E.T.A?"

"I.3 minutes, Dad." Silence fell over the communications as the Tracy boys worked furiously at their tasks, trying to outwit and out run the potentially dangerous sub. Jeff knew that there was a chance it was harmless, but if it was indeed the same one as before, why had it returned? It had obviously considered the small yellow thunderbird to be too much of a bigger prize to miss, there could be no other explanation.

"Dad, I'm at the danger zone, but can't see Gordon." Feeling like his heart was going to catch in his throat, Jeff abruptly stood up and began pacing the lounge floor as he listened to Virgil trying to patch himself through to Thunderbird Four's communications. Trying to make the feeling of horror reside, Jeff forced himself to sit back down again, knowing that. psychologically, pacing made it worse. How many times had he been stuck in a situation where the Tracy patriarch had been left to pace whilst waiting to hear whether one of his boys was still alive?

"Alright, Virg, I'm reading you."

"Why are you whispering, Gordon?"

"It's right on my tail."

"It can't hear you!"

"Oh yeah." Despite himself, Jeff had to smile at Gordon's comments, he had been far too used to sneaking around the house and avoiding trouble since before Jeff could remember. Probably since he could walk, he always had an uncanny knack of disappearing when it was bedtime.

"Virg, I'm not far from the pod, can you- damn it!"

"Gordon? Gordon! Gordon, answer me!"

"Alright, alright, keep your hair on."

"Dammit, Gordon, don't do that to me. What's going on down there? I can't make it out on Two's scanners."

"Err…Virgil? How quick can you work the grabs on Two?"

"Dude, you're my co-pilot, you know I can do it in a flash, why?"

"Because I've worked out what they are planning to do."

"Son?" Jeff cut in quickly, wanting to make his presence known to the boys even if he couldn't do anything else. He hated being their commander at times, having to sit back and make the decisions that could mean life or death for those most dear to him. He knew that Scott sometimes felt the same, but at least he was actually out there in the danger with his brothers, more often than not putting himself in the most dangerous positions in order to keep them safe.

"The sub had been launched clear of the water when it hit the rocks, yes?" At Virgil's confirmation, Gordon continued, but Jeff could tell by his voice that whatever it was that he needed to tell his brother, he was fast running out of time in which to do it.

"A sub like that shouldn't have been affected by the rocks, it's too strong. They hit it hard from below, sending it flying and then crashing onto an already weakened area. My guess is that judging by the damage to the hull, they came back for seconds before we got there."

"Gords, where you going with this?"

"Feel like a game of catch, Virgil?"

Deadly silence fell as the listening Tracy's digested what Gordon had just said. Whilst his voice may have been calm, it was apparent that he was worried, and Jeff was not surprised. If the sub could cause that amount of damage to a navy submarine, Four didn't stand much of a chance.

"Can you not reach the pod first, Gordon?" Jumping as John's voice came floating over, Jeff stared at his second eldest's portrait in surprise. He had forgotten that John may have been listening, yet at the same time, it didn't surprise him. Jeff knew for a fact that there had been numerous occasions on rescues when John was listening into transmissions without any of the others knowing that he was there, it was his way of keeping an eye on his brothers whilst being stuck far out in space.

"Nope, he is in the way." Rubbing his hand wearily across his eyes, Jeff sighed. It was cases like this that made him regret ever starting up International Rescue, it wasn't worth the horror it put the father through, no matter how many people they ended up saving. At the end of the day, Jeff Tracy was asking his boys to put their lives on the line, despite knowing that every time they were on a rescue, Jeff felt himself age about a decade.

"Virgil, ready those grabs now!"

"Gordon? Gordon? Shit!"

"Virgil!"

"Dad, Four is flying through the air!"

"Then do as your brother ordered and ready those grabs, you can't let him hit the rocks, Virgil."

"F.A.B."

Fingers flying furiously over the panel in front of him, Virgil felt as if time was going in slow motion as he watched the small and suddenly very vulnerable looking submarine fly clear of the water before arching gracefully and heading back towards the land. There was no way he was going to get the grabs mobile in time, Four would have passed under him and out of range before he had them fully active. And it would all be his fault, if only he had been paying more attention at the rescue. His eyes fixed on the flying sub, Virgil couldn't remember the last time he had felt this scared.

"Someone save my little brother." He whispered into thin air, only afterwards hoping that he had remembered to disconnect the intercoms. It would do no good for either his father, John, or for that matter, Gordon, to hear his heart wrenching plea. Although, if it would mean hearing Gordon mock him, Virgil would open up any communication he could get his hands on, for the red head had maintained a worrying silence since he last transmissions, despite the family begging him to answer.

His hand shaking, Virgil cursed everything that came into his head. Himself, Two, Brains for not making the grabs quicker, Alan for falling down the stairs and making him worry, even Gordon himself was mentioned in the colourful language sprouting for the usually calm brother. He knew that the grabs weren't going to be extended in time, yet Virgil also knew that he couldn't stop, no matter what. He couldn't afford to let his brother down again. Trying to calm himself, Virgil breathed in deeply, and all of a sudden it was as if his head had cleared. The faintest smell of lavender washed through the flight deck, and without pausing to think, Virgil swung Two sharply around, far quicker than he knew was safe. And yet at the same time, he knew he would have no problems, hand slamming on the button that made the grabs shoot out. It was as if they themselves went quicker than normal, the very technology of Two being affected by the presence Virgil was feeling.

Watching the scene with disbelieving eyes, Virgil gaped as Two finished the turn, causing the grabs to almost crash into Thunderbird Four, before immediately correcting her position and sending the giant green machine heading for home before Four had been pulled inside. Flicking a switch, Virgil immediately put her on autopilot, sprinting towards the holding bay almost before it had switched over. Tearing through, Virgil noted with a small smile that the scent was following him, but dwelled no more time on the matter as he punched in the access codes for Four, desperately wanting to see if Gordon was alright.

His breath catching in his throat as the sub gave him entrance, Virgil sprinted in, skidding to a stop when he caught sight of his brother slumped over the controls.

"Gordon? Gords, please, don't do this to me. I'm sorry, so sorry. Please." Crossing the sub in a matter of steps, Virgil dropped to his knees, visually checking his brother over before undoing the safety harness and allowing the unconscious form to slip from the seat. Catching Gordon before he hit the floor, Virgil gently lowered his brother down, noting with a wince the gash on his forehead. Hoping that, whilst that was bad enough, it was the only reason for his brother not being conscious, Virgil gave his brother a thorough check over.

Just as he finished, the ingenious device strapped to the artist's watch let out a shrill beep. Flicking a button, Virgil found himself face to face with his oldest brother.

"Scott." Virgil acknowledged, his voice being the only thing showing he was noticing his brother as he continued to watch Gordon. "Where's Dad?"

"Battling Kyrano and John about the coffee machine." Scott responded with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Virg, how is he?"

"Unconscious with a nasty gash." Virgil reported tonelessly, not needing to look at Scott to know what expression his brother would be wearing, for it would be identical to the one Virgil had seen on his face only earlier this morning when he had heard Alan fall.

"Virg, you are approaching the island…Alan? What are you doing here? Get back into bed, _now._"

"I wanna help."

"Alan, I'm not telling you again."

With a last glance at Gordon, Virgil pulled himself to his feet and jogged back onto the flight deck, ready to bring his lady down. Normally, he would have hooked his brother up to the machines in the sick bay, but knowing that they were so close, Virgil didn't see the point, it would only take longer once they reached home. Ignoring the bickering between his oldest and youngest siblings, Virgil slid into the command seat, flicking a couple of switches and taking control of his 'bird once more.

The journey home had passed in such a flash that Virgil had only just regained control before he was initiating the landing sequence, slowly and carefully tucking his most prized item out of sight of prying eyes. Ignoring the post flight checks, he quickly made his way back to the pod, and that was where he was found a couple of minutes later when the rest of the family, minus Alan but plus Brains, came charging onto the scene, Gordon's head cushioned in his lap.

Dropping to his knees, Scott crawled the last few feet, worry radiating out of his eyes as he took in the bandage Virgil had tied around Gordon's head to stop the bleeding until a more permanent dressing could be found. Taking Gordon's unresponsive hand in his own, Scott gently cradled it, running his free hand lightly through Gordon's hair.

"Brains?" Virgil asked quietly, suddenly very tired. "I haven't done the checks yet…"

"I…i… I'm on it, V..Virgil."

"Thank you."

"Come on, fish, time to wake up now." Scott murmured softly, shifting himself to a more comfortable position on the floor. "You've got us back good and proper, you can snap out of it now."

Jeff smiled softly down at his boys as he rested his hand against the back of Scott's head lightly. His oldest son was not having a good day that was for sure. Known to be the most protective of them all, it was doing Scott no favours to now have had two brothers knock themselves out in a day. Sighing deeply, Jeff shook his head, unable to quite believe that Virgil had somehow managed to activate the grabs and catch the flying sub in the speed that he did. It was something that Jeff was sure was not logically possible.

"Come on boys, let's get your brother upstairs before Alan tries to make his way down here."

"He won't if he knows what is good for him," Scott growled as he stood up. As Virgil mirrored his actions, the two brothers gently lifted Gordon and began to carry him through the silos, their feeling of guilt making them want to be personally responsible for getting him to the infirmary rather than relying on a stretcher. Watching them with raised eyebrows and a hint of amusement, Jeff gave them a head start whilst he updated John.

TBTBTBTBTB

"Goooordon? Gordy, Gordo, Gordon?"

Letting out a low moan of annoyance at the cheerful singsong voice echoing through his head, Gordon slowly cracked his eyes open. For a moment, he just blinked at the white ceiling above him, wondering where on earth he was, before the memories came rushing back and he made to sit up sharply if it wasn't for the firm hand on his shoulder.

"Easy, kiddo. Not so fast." Letting his eyes roam over to the side rather than turn his pounding head, Gordon found himself staring into Virgil's concerned face, although there was a spark of relief flaring into life when he saw his kid brother looking back at him. Slowly navigating himself into a sitting position, Gordon hit the button on the side of the bed that allowed him to sit up without having to hold his own weight.

"Welcome back, squirt." Glancing towards the end of his bed, Gordon caught sight of his father perched at the end of the bed, leaning forward in concern.

"Wh- what happened?" Gordon asked quietly, accepting the glass of water that a hand from behind him mysteriously produced. He knew without having to ask it would be Scott, and true enough, his oldest brother soon came into his view, perching on the bed next to him.

"What do you remember?" Jeff asked quietly, his eyes flickering onto Virgil, whose frown had deepened at Gordon's question. He only hoped his brother meant after he had blacked out rather than the whole thing, he had been certain that it was just a concussion rather than anything major.

"I discovered why Four was never meant to fly, then I think I hit my head on the control panel and now voila."

"That's about it, kiddo." Virgil commented, leaning back in his chair and avoiding the gaze of both Scott and his father.

"So how did I not get turned into smoosh?"

"Because Virgil pulled off the impossible." Scott interrupted, glaring at his brother. Virgil had told them what had happened, but Scott knew Two wasn't physically capable of pulling off the stunt she had. There was something else going on, but for the life of him, Scott couldn't seem to get Virgil to open up to him.

"Hello? Anyone remember me?" A slightly annoyed voice floated across the infirmary and caused Virgil to move his chair, giving Gordon a clear view onto the other bed. Sitting up with an irritated expression, Alan glared over from the other side of the infirmary, obviously put out he wasn't allowed to come over and sit with Gordon. As if reading his mind, Scott gave him a warning glare and a shake of his head, spiking Gordon's curiosity of what Scott had managed to do to keep Alan in bed, it was an almost impossible task.

"How ya doing, Sprout?"

"Well, I was always sure I was meant to copy my older brothers, being the youngest and all. Really Gords, just because I knocked myself out doesn't mean you have to compete."

As Gordon grinned at his only younger brother, Scott groaned.

"_Please _don't turn it into a competition, my nerves can't take any more."

"I need to report to John." Jeff said suddenly, standing up and leaving the room, after giving his sons a fond, but exasperated look.

"Why can't he have done that in here?" Virgil mused, glancing at Scott in confusion, who just shook his head, none the wiser.

"Because he wants us to be on our own." Alan called over, sitting back with an air of smugness when his older siblings shot him a surprised look.

"Ok, Virgil, what really happened?" A small smile playing across his mouth, Virgil breathed in deeply, allowing himself to remember the scent from within the flight deck of Thunderbird Two.

"Mom."

TBTBTBTB

Climbing up to his favourite part of the garden, Jeff quickly found the space he was looking for, breathing in the scent of lavender welcomingly as he watched the bees busy themselves around the plant. Casting his eyes towards the heavens, it wasn't his second born son that Jeff needed to communicate with, but someone else entirely. He had a feeling, not in his gut, but in his heart, regarding how Virgil had managed to pull off such an odd defying stunt in order to save his brother.

"Keep protecting them, Luce." He whispered, shivering slightly in the cool night air. But it wasn't the temperature that made him shiver, but the light fingertips that brushed across his shoulder.

"Always."


End file.
